Mumbai docs perform eight transplants in 24 hours

The family of one of the recipients complained that they had a tough time making payments at the hospital

Doctors in Mumbai performed eight life-saving organ transplants within 24 hours, with three hospitals involved in the operations.

The family of a 53-year-old Dahisar resident, who was declared brain-dead on Tuesday, donated his liver and kidneys to save lives of three organ failure patients. Dilip Sampat, who used to run a business, was admitted at Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani Hospital (KDAH) on November 11, after he met with a road accident. Doctors said his daughter, Bhagyashree, a doctor, was instrumental in making the donation.

While the liver was transplanted into a 60-year old patient from Gujarat, a kidney was transplanted into a 26-year old woman from Andheri who was on dialysis for the past three years. Both patients were in the same hospital as the donor. The other kidney was sent to Jupiter Hospital, Thane.

A cadaveric liver was transported from Indore to Mumbai on Tuesday, which was transplanted into a 62-year old woman, a Goregaon resident, who had liver cirrhosis for the past three years. The family of a 21-year-old man from Badlapur, who met with a road accident admitted at Jupiter Hospital donated the heart, liver and kidneys, on Tuesday afternoon. All transplants happened between Tuesday and Wednesday afternoon.

The family of one of the recipients complained that they had a tough time making payments at the hospital. “The hospital gave good service but refused to accept payment via cheque. They demanded that I pay through net-banking,” said the relative of a patient who underwent a transplant at KDAH Andheri, on Tuesday.

“I do not have net-banking facility and had a tough time finding someone who could make the payment on our behalf. Eventually a friend agreed,” he added.

Three days ago, chief minister Devendra Fadnavis had issued instructions to all private hospitals to accept cheques from patients for emergency treatment. Doctors said all transplant procedures related to cadaver donation, fall under the emergency services.

Dr Ram Narain, director, KDAH, said that currently, cheques and cash are not the preferred payment options. “The proceudre went off without a hitch and service was not compromised.”